From Crysis 2 to Sex Superheroes- News roundup 16th February 2010

Crysis 2 update: will have 'disaster movie' feel

Last month, we reported that Crysis 2 would swap the lush green hell of its island for the blinding lights of the big city: New York. Gamers have treated this news with a mix of tentative optimism and a creeping sense of dread. After all, we've trod the dull grey streets of the Big Apple countless times in sandbox titles, and the verdant tropical environments have always been an important staple of the Far Cry and Crysis series.

In a recent interview with EDGE, Crytek president Cervat Yerli promises that Crysis 2's take on New York will be unlike anything we've ever experienced, explaining that it will offer disaster movie-style thrills and visuals.

“I Am Legend and The Day After Tomorrow were unique and both ‘owned’ a version of New York. Ours, likewise, is in harmony with the Nanosuit. In Crysis, we changed that island in ways the player didn’t expect. Expect bigger here. It’ll be a New York City like none in games or cinema.”

Yerli continued to explain that the Crysis 2 will contain the mix of exploration, choke points and 'action zones' that defined the original, but that it would also use the verticality of the high-rise buildings to make battles more three-dimensional. The nanosuit will also be upgraded, featuring a range of powers such as X-ray vision and bullet deflection. We'll bring you more news about Crysis 2 as it becomes available before its release later this year. [EDGE interview]

Windows 7 Mobile will support Xbox Live

Microsoft has revealed the capabilities of the Windows 7 Mobile at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona- and to be honest, most of the details won't come as much of a surprise to anyone. Constant Facebook and Twitter updates? Bing integration? Zune marketplace functionality? Don't get me wrong, the new OS brings together the disparate apps of the iPhone into instantly accessible hubs- but that's an article for another blog. Our sister site, Bitter Wallet, has the rundown on the impressive feature set of the new gadget.

The big news for us gamers is that the new mobile will feature direct Xbox Live integration built directly into its OS. Xbox Live customers will be able to effortlessly view their avatar, profile and access Microsoft Marketplace with the touch of a tile. It will also provide both standard and asynchronous (turn-based) multiplayer.

At this stage, it's unclear whether the Windows 7 mobile will support a limited range of existing XBLA titles or a batch of achievement-supporting mobile titles. I'm guessing the latter, but the temptation to earn gamerscore on the move will be more than enough to shift a few phones by itself. However, since you can check your online profile and visit Xbox Live Marketplace on any internet-ready phone, it'll need to provide an impressive collection of games to truly make a splash in the mobile market. [Microsoft]

Superhero game teaches sex education

Sorry this is badly cropped- but we literally can't show you any more of this picture!

I vaguely remember a nervous teacher sitting us down and uncomfortably avoiding the issue of sex education back when I was a lad. Some of my younger university colleagues regaled me with stories of practising condom use by stretching rubbers over bananas and hilariously trite public information videos. However, the Canadian Middlesex London Health Unit has taken edutainment to its hilarious conclusion by creating a sexual education game.

You couldn't make this up. Players control epic superheroes Captain Condom, Wonder Vag or Willy the Kid as they do battle against the Sperminator, a terrifying nemesis who literally lives up to his name. Answering sexual educations correctly allows your hero to dodge jets of sperm, while answering incorrectly forces you to take a load in the face.

Words can't do this justice, folks. Here's the link- but be warned, this bizarre yet well-meaning flash game contains mature content that isn't suitable for the young and faint of heart. Here's hoping we all learn something!